Band-stretching machine



Dec. 30, 1930. w. E. HUMPHREY BAND STRETCHING KAGHINE led Juno 24, 1927iso Patented Dec. 30, 1930 yUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER E.HUMPHREY, OF KNT, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNYE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE AKRONSTANDARD MOLD COMPANY, OF AKRON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIOBAND-STRETCHING MACHINE Application led .Tune 24, 1927. Serial No.201,187.

Thisinvention relates to the manufacture of pneumatic tires, andparticularly to the preparation of fabric bandsfor application to tireforms or cores. Band or ply stretch- 5 ing or expanding machines for themechanical expansion and shaping of bands have usually comprised aseries ofshoes or segments which were carried by an expanding devicewhich moved the shoes outwardly si- 19 ,Inultaneously after the band wasapplied.

While the band would be expanded, the prin-y cipal objection to thistype of expander resided in the fact that the band would beoverstretched in the areas lying between the sev- 15 eral shoes orsegments of the expander, while that portion of the band' lying over theshoes or segments would expand only slightly, if at all. As a result,the bands would be unevenly expanded, having areas of overexpa-nded zovfabric alternating with areas of unexpanded fabric.

The object of the present invention is to construct a band expander ofthe mechanical type in which the objectionable features de- 25 scribedare eliminated and even expansion about the entire band is obtained.

While the invention is described with considerable vdetail in order thatthe features thereof may be understood, it will be appreciated thatchanges and modifications may be made without departing therefrom. Theprinciples f the invention may be used in the expanding of tires made bythe flat band or pulley method, or for the stretching of tread bands orbands made wholly of rubber, as well as in the preparation of bands forapplication to cores.

In the drawings, in which the preferred form of the invention isillustrated:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the machine showing it infull lines in collapsed position and in dotted lines in expandedposition;

Figure 2 is a plan of the rear or cylinder portion of the machine;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the expanding unit; and

Figures 4 and 5 are side and front views of a unit of the expander.

The machine is supported upon a pedestal or 4stand 1, to the upper endof which is bolted a horizontal cylinder 2 having piston 3 therein, themovement of which is controlled by the admission of pressure into theends of the cylinder through piping 5 controlled by valve 6.

The piston rod 8 extends through stuffing boxes at either end of thecylinder and at the rear thereof is carried a backing plate 10 supportedfrom the cylinder by a plurality of parallel rods 12. A. small disk orplate 14 is mounted upon a shaft l5 located eccentricallyV of the platel0 and provided with a'hand wheel 16 by which it may be turned. A springactuated ball detent 18 isarrang'ed'to yieldingly hold the disk' in anyone of several adjusted positions. Mounted about the periphery of theplate 14 are a plurality of pins'lQ of varying lengths, which pins maybe selectively brought into register with the piston rod 8 as desired,thus limiting the rearward movement of the piston and the maximumdiameter of the expander.

`On the front of the cylinder 2 is located a cross-head 21 in which theforward end of the piston rod is guided, and to the crosshead is secureda fixed collar 22. To the end of the piston is secured the double collar24.

To the collar 22 are pivoted a plurality of toggle links 25, and to thedouble collar 24 are pivoted a plurality of parallel or double togglelinks 26. Each set of the links, including a link 25 and a pair of links26, are pivoted at their outer ends to a cross-head or carrier 28, theouter end of which carries a yoke 29 in which are mounted two pins 30.On each of the pins 30 is mounted a freely rotatable roller 32.Preferably thevrollers are bulb-shaped and the heads of the pins and thenuts 33 are rounded to conform to the outline of the rollers. Therollers may be of other shapes as found desirable.

It is desirable to provide centering devices, preferably adjustable, inconnection with the expanders so as to properly locate and center thebands upon the expander. For this purpose,` several of the carriers 28,usually four in number, are provided with extension plates 34 carryinglaterally exv tending arms 35, the outer ends of which are slotted andto which are adjustablysecured radial fingers 36 projecting'outwardlybeyond the perimeter of the expander and operating as a device by Whichthe center 1in@ of thefband may 10e-brought int@ regstlniththefentriline Dfitlhxif'ier.

In the operation of the device, the .,eX- pander is contracted to theposition shown f-infull lins`i`nili`igureal iandtheproperiad-' justine'nt is made rat the 'fi-earl of 'fthe device so as to limit theouter movement p f ythe shoes. The band 40 is then placedoverthe shoesand centered by the guides 36 and pressure admitted to the "cylinders"so that fthe :ristonisnnoved f-tuwardly, forcing the @lines inwardlymultaneouslyfstrthe the bandtofthe ,Qstienshown :infrlotted linceul@ ure:,l- Tfhrellersfllpon the 011tierfends' lOff" tleshzoea lulrich Contactwithfthe fabric, permit the fabric inf-the-bandtoi-move,',abeutgitsentireinrrhery softlat the stretchi-ng'aetiel cnt-,lializ'ed-nfthoserortiens ,0f fthe ,-band Ylying frbtetwen the 1Shoes- In ier-111er-cnnstreetcnsfn whieh @hashes/S Were :inthe farms nfplates, :little Qrfho slippage `was-n@nffllttsai,over thesnrfaces-fofthe Slices, the adhesion @if @the-rubber to the?` Shinesy-f-Ptvntngfasuch 'an a 'estrae-nt 0f :the fabrie- "1111 @resent ferm@of the-,,;11fvei11t0i1,how

Vwel, fthe lrollers permit the afa-bric :t0 .Shift properly sothat thelexpansion is transmitted Aalzfiute the entreniwumfereme .0f the .baud-,What-islamedis; Y flan apparatus #for mechanically 6X- panlflilgacontinuum :Abandfth `C I1f1t imation 1057152; @Reality/Ofcarrersarrangedpnacircle, a' SuppOrt-@naald,carriers,:mea-11S temor@.the carriers radially of a central axistoeipand V`thecircl esaiel-nieans `,operatingethroughv said suppftaed a rollnmnuntedin-fealwarrier, .the ,several y,rollers supporting `the -bandvvbleroilellout itSirCu-mfe-reneaunaratus Qr-meclianeally X- friandise@.Continuousband,the-combinati@ Off afpluralrity earrerS,arrengedfnMU019, means t0 mpv@ the, carriers radially-t0 A@X- PandfstlleOudste-telleramounted@ each Carriens-r the f several rollerssupportingfthe band ,fthronghut its circumference', and `vnfieansmounted fonfthe carrier-s toc-enter `fthe@hand A with, respetfto-therollers.-

,3. In apparatus -`for expandinga vcontinu- 011s.bandsffabrie@ plurality@traits fof of levers, j,one en d Voi-eachvjp airo levers-beingpivote/illy connected-1to1, a t fixed support, the

aousf bandi 'of fabric-,1v a .icyli-nder,A aipisto'n v:androd-jslidab'le-therein, a yplu'ralityio'fflink-s. pivotally connected tothe end of lsaid pistonrod,

-a plurality of links Vpivotally connected to said cylindera pluralityof carriers pivotally c'onnectedbetweensaid links, rollers mounted onsaid carriers, :and means to keepthe raxis of saidrollerszparallelWith-.the piston rod, said means comprising lan] ailditional linkpvlotally connectingeachcarrier vto the end tot said; pistonK rod.

6.111 apparatusviorf'expanding `ia continuous band `of fabric',facylinder, 'ay piston and rod slidable therein, a; pluralityof linkspivotally .connected to the endgfof said 4piston rod, Ya plurality flinks pivotally connected to saidv cylinder, ak plurality of carriers;pivotally yconectedbetween said link-s, `'rollers vmounted onsaidrcarriersrandguide'annis ad- Justably .mounted .on said Icarriersfor centering a Ace ntinuoufsband upon the rollers.

7. Invapparatusorfexpanding a continu,- f

ous bandoff fabric, a cylinderrapiston 4 and rod lfslidableqthverein,agpkluralityioflinks pivotally connected tothe end ofsaidpistonrod saidcylinder, a plurality of'carriers pinotall-y ,connected between .saidlinks, rollers lmourited on' said carriers, and means uat .the endoi.the cylinderopposite thezlink'sfor controlling the expanding -movementof 'the rollers, -,said p,

means 'including 4rotatable means supporting f a plurality et Astopsfor3 limiting movement, V,any Tvselected vstop k,being .adapted to4engage With a rearward/estenn ,fifths pistelirod- .WALTER iHUMRHRar.

- .neCtedf-toacommas member, and ,means for f Sad, member, '-tacliallyfrmot@ the Qllerssaidfmeails: extend-inea@ @Gratin-g .throughaheAliked support4 whereby one' vend ,oftheapparatusisfreelironiobstrucmons. Y

nzapparatus .feriexpandinga @Catimsiusbaiid Lf fabriefa .@rlinderfaPisten-fwd

